Commercial litigation

Leading Juniors

Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.

Richard Hanke
2

Richard Hanke

3 Verulam Buildings
No matter the complexity of the question, his advice is always straightforward (and invariably right), and his drafting is as close to perfect as you can get: you get the sense that every word in a pleading or a skeleton has been thoughtfully selected - always exactly what is needed, never too much. I have seen firsthand how seniors rely not only on his consummate grasp of the details of a case but also on his excellent instinct, creative thinking, and strategic nous. On his feet, Richard is disarmingly understated and all the more effective for it - calm, methodical, and convincing. A barrister for whom I have an immense amount of respect and hope to work with for many years yet.
Edward Ho
2

Edward Ho

Brick Court Chambers
Fantastically brilliant barrister. Smart, hardworking, and very persuasive advocacy.
Yash Bheeroo
3

Yash Bheeroo

3 Verulam Buildings
Provides highly commercial and first-rate advice to clients. Yash is an excellent advocate who never misses a detail. Consistently impressive and helpful with an incredible capacity to get to grips with large amounts of information quickly. Yash is fearless in his case strategy and an absolute pleasure to work with. Clients love him because he’s quick to understand their goals and he communicates so well. He is extremely responsive. He is superb at helping clients find a path through difficult issues and does not get flustered in the face of unexpected circumstances. With regards to Yash's advocacy, the judiciary appears to appreciate his attention to detail and his pragmatic but convincing approach. He is forceful and very convincing.
Sam Goodman
3

Sam Goodman

Twenty Essex
Sam is one of the standout juniors at the commercial Bar and is rightly in high demand. He combines first-rate legal analysis with strong commercial judgment and an excellent understanding of what clients are seeking to achieve in a dispute. He is particularly effective on complex and high-value matters, where he is able to master large volumes of information quickly and provide clear, practical advice. He is exceptionally user-friendly and works seamlessly as part of a wider legal team. His work ethic is outstanding, and he is consistently responsive, engaged, and committed to achieving the best outcome for the client. He has a strong strategic sense, excellent judgment, and a pragmatic approach that makes him a valuable addition to any complex dispute. Solicitors and clients alike have confidence in his advice, and he is someone I would readily instruct on significant commercial litigation.
Marcus Mander
3

Marcus Mander

7 King's Bench Walk
Marcus Mander is an outstanding barrister who consistently demonstrates the qualities that set the very best advocates apart. He is always responsive, ensuring that those instructing him receive timely and considered input at every stage of a matter. A great strategist, he brings a sharp tactical mind to each case, identifying the most effective path forward and adapting his approach as circumstances develop. He is always on top of the evidence, maintaining a thorough command of even the most voluminous and complex materials, which in turn informs his case strategy and preparation. Above all, he is a brilliant advocate - his submissions are clear, persuasive, and delivered with conviction.
Stewart Chirnside
4

Stewart Chirnside

Quadrant Chambers
He has a very impressive command of the law, he produces excellent written work, and he is a fine advocate. He has a classic courtroom style and approach to cross-examination, which has been very successful in each case. One of Stewart's other strengths is his great versatility; he has handled cases ranging from African oil disputes, private equity disputes, banking and finance disputes, trust and contentious insolvency disputes, and cases involving breach of confidentiality.
Stephen Ryan
4

Stephen Ryan

4 New Square Chambers
Stephen has an excellent eye for detail. He is a robust written and oral advocate, is super client-friendly, and works well as part of a bigger team.
Simon Arnold
5

Simon Arnold

Forum Chambers
Has a great combination of solicitor and barrister skills and is a really excellent advocate. He also always goes the extra mile to assist.
Clyde Darrell
5

Clyde Darrell

Forum Chambers
Clyde is a barrister who works alongside his instructing solicitor to get the best result, not somebody who dictates to them. For those who believe that a collaborative approach with counsel provides the best outcomes, Clyde cannot be beaten. He leaves no stone unturned when dealing with the facts of a matter.
Jonathan Gavaghan
5

Jonathan Gavaghan

Ten Old Square
I mainly work with Jonathan on contentious partnership matters but have also instructed him on general commercial litigation. He is a brilliant advocate and advisor, combining extensive legal knowledge with a commercial and practical mindset. He is willing to get stuck in on complicated matters and to get engaged in the detail but always bears the big picture in mind. He has extensive knowledge of court operations and more practical issues such as DRDs and cost budgets, and his advice is always clear and helpful. He is an absolute delight to work with.
Edward Gilmore
5

Edward Gilmore

Essex Court Chambers
Excellent junior. Very easy to work with and will handle everything you can throw at him.
Daria Gleyze
5

Daria Gleyze

Three Stone
Daria is exceptionally knowledgeable in her field and has an impressive grasp of both the legal principles and the finer details of a case. Her drafting is consistently of a very high standard, being clear, persuasive, and strategically focused. She is approachable and collaborative to work with, takes the time to listen carefully to clients' and solicitors' concerns, and provides advice that is both commercially minded and robust. I have found her to be responsive, practical, and highly effective in progressing matters towards the best outcome for the client. You can always be confident that she has a clear grasp of the facts.
Andrew Lodder
5

Andrew Lodder

One Essex Court
Andy is brilliant. His oral advocacy is clear, succinct, and weighty. In a courtroom that included far more senior advocates, my colleagues and I considered that his advocacy was outstanding (in a good way!). His written submissions and skeletons are also first-rate. Andy is a real pleasure to work with. He has rolled his sleeves up, quickly absorbed huge amounts of detail from disclosure, is full of helpful ideas, and is willing to brainstorm constructively on no notice.
David Mcllroy
5

David Mcllroy

Forum Chambers
Lionel Nichols
5

Lionel Nichols

4 New Square Chambers
Lionel is responsive, and his written advice is clear and well-drafted. He is a good team player. He is a strong junior counsel.
Benjamin Parker
5

Benjamin Parker

7 King's Bench Walk
Ben is an excellent advocate who combines thorough preparation with a calm and persuasive manner before the court. He is quick to identify the key issues in a case and presents arguments in a clear, logical fashion that is easy for the court to follow. His written submissions are consistently of a high standard—concise, well-structured, and focused on the points that matter. In terms of client service, Ben is responsive, pragmatic, and commercial in his advice. He is good at managing client expectations and explaining complex legal issues in accessible terms. He works well as part of a team and is always willing to engage collaboratively with instructing solicitors on case strategy.
Usman Roohani
5

Usman Roohani

4 New Square Chambers
He is very articulate; his judgments are always sound and considered; and he has a very calm manner. He is also clever, hardworking, and responsive.
Harry Stratton
5

Harry Stratton

One Essex Court
Harry is very smart, thorough, and detail-oriented. There is nothing he will not consider or anticipate when reviewing the evidence and working on the arguments. He provides excellent support to his KC and makes the interface with the solicitor teams seamless. He has an impressive ability to process a significant volume of complex information in a short period of time and then cogently articulate the key points and preferred strategy. Furthermore, Harry is a strong advocate – very well-prepared and quick on his feet even when faced with tough judicial questions. He is able to break down difficult concepts into well-structured, clear, and engaging arguments, which makes him stand out from his peers.
Rachel Tandy
5

Rachel Tandy

Henderson Chambers
Rachel is an exceptionally well-prepared and highly effective advocate. She combines strong technical knowledge with excellent judgment and is able to distill complex issues into clear, persuasive arguments. Her advocacy is measured, confident, and credible, and she presents her client's case in a way that is both compelling and practical. She is responsive, approachable, and works collaboratively with solicitors and clients, providing clear advice even in challenging circumstances.

Rising stars

Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel.

Carola Binney
1

Carola Binney

Essex Court Chambers
Anson Cheung
1

Anson Cheung

4 New Square Chambers
Anson is excellent at getting into the details on technical points of fact and draws this well to the relevant law. Her written advice is detailed and clear.
Grace Ferrier
1

Grace Ferrier

Essex Court Chambers
Grace is an exceptionally talented barrister operating at a level far above her Call: she can be relied on as if she were a senior junior even in the most complex commercial litigation. Her judgment is consistently spot on, her drafting is outstanding, and she is phenomenally hard-working and responsive. She has rapidly become our 'go to' junior.
Weishi Yang
1

Weishi Yang

Henderson Chambers
We began instructing Weishi Yang as soon as she joined Henderson Chambers, and we have continued to work with her consistently since that time — a reflection of the very strong impression she made from the outset. Our instructions have predominantly involved allocation hearings arising from solar panel mis-selling claims, acting for lender defendants, and she has also appeared at trial in consumer credit matters for us. We have found her to be effective across a range of hearing types, but it is particularly in the context of allocation advocacy that she has distinguished herself and made a lasting impression.